HOLY CITY OF KARBALA, Iraq: As festivals and a’maal to
mark fifteenth Sha’ban (night between 14-15 Sha’ban, Saturday-Sunday,
July 16-17) began at the holy Shrine of Al-Imam Abi Abdellah
Al-Hussein (pbuh) on Saturday, July 16, eve of Sha’ban 15, atmosphere
in the holy city of Karbala is filled with further spirituality, bliss
and happiness.
Statistics show that millions of devotees have reached
this beautifully bedecked holy city to observe Zyarah Ash-Sha’baniyah,
which is the best amal (deed) of this blessed night of Sha’ban 15.
From the advent of the month of Sha’ban, devotees from across the
country and other parts of the world – young and old, men and women,
mostly on foot, some individually, some in caravans -, carrying white,
green and red banners were heading to the holy city to achieve the
honor of visiting Imam Al-Hussein (pbuh) marking 15 Sha’ban.
Zyarah Ash-Sha`baniyah, or the mid Sha`ban visit to
Al-Imam Al-Hussein (pbuh), is one of the most important zyaraat,
according to narrations.
As various narrations urge this visit, flocks of
believers had been in practice of heading to this holy city for the
visit of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (AS) shrine every year despite strict
measures taken by the ousted despot Saddam regime which was used to
commit atrocities against the pilgrims preventing them from going to
holy Karbala this day. The devotees were used to defy tyrannical rule
and persevered in performance of rituals of this visit sacrificing for
this expensive and precious things subjecting themselves for security
pursuit and detention many times.
In 1991 on this occasion, large number of pilgrims was martyred, went
missing and detained at the hands of Baathist regime as a punishment
for heading to Holy Karbala for visit of the holy Husseini Shrine.
Narrations from A’immah Ahlul Bayt (pbut) say that fifteenth night of
Sha’ban is the best after the night of Qadr.
It has been narrated from holy Prophet (pbuh&hp)’s fifth
infallible descendant Al-Imam Al-Baqer (pbuh) that: “This is the best
night after the Night of Qadr. In this night, Allah grants the
servants His favor and forgives them with His blessing, so spare no
effort in nearing Allah therein. This is a night wherein Allah has
made obligatory for Him He would not send one, who asks him, empty
handed… and this is the night which Allah has made for Us - the
Prophet's progeny (Ahlul Bayt) - as He made the Night of Qadr for our
Prophet ...”
The birth of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp)’s last descendant Savior of
Humanity Al-Imam Al-Hojjah bin Al-Hassan Al-Mehdi Al-Montazar (pbuh)
in Sorra Mann Ra’a (Samarra), Iraq in 255 AH increased the honor and
excellence of this night.
According to the sayings of holy Prophet (pbuh&hp), Imam Mehdi (pbuh)
will return to deliver humanity from darkness and strife, and he will
fill the earth with justice and equity as it would have been filled
with oppression and injustice.
July 16 Saturday’s A’maal will culminate with the floating of hundreds
of candles and letters to Imam Al-Mehdi – Imam of the Era (may Allah
hasten his reappearance) - on a river in Holy Karbala at Sunday July
17 pre-dawn (Sha’ban 15).
